Stopper for bottles and the like



.1. w. FAY 2,072,592

STOPPER FOR BOTTLES AND THE 141M:

March 2, 1937.

Filed Jan. 7, 1935 Patented Mar. 2, 1937 UETED STATES PATENT OFFICE Joseph W. Fay, Villa Park, 111., assignor of onehalf to Ersyl F. Chambless, Chicago, 111.

Application January '7, 1935, Serial No. 618

7 Claims.

The present invention relates to closures or stoppers for bottles and the like, and more particularly to flanged or headed stoppers of the type disclosed in my copending application, Serial No. 733,7d3, filed July 5, 1934.

The principal purpose of the present invention is to provide an inexpensive headed stopper formed in a manner to prevent the metallic parts of the stopper from coming in contact with the liquid in the bottle, and also from coming in contact with the glass wall of the bottle.

One of the features of the invention resides in the provision of a cork stopper having a head structure comprising a disc formed of wood or like material joined firmly to the cork body, and a cap secured to the disc and having an outer surface which may be lithographed, embossed, or otherwise finished as desired.

Another feature resides in the improved manner of joining the metallic cap to the wood disc which constitutes a part of the head structure of the stopper.

Another feature resides in another form of anchor for anchoring the head of the stopper to the body portion thereof, and another form of head structure.

Further features and the objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which Figure 1 is a side elevational view of a cork stopper embodying the present invention;

Figure 2 is a section taken on the line 22 of Figure l;

3 Figure 3 is a perspective View of the wood disc forming a part of the head structure of the stopper;

Figure 4 is a perspective View of the anchor member for anchoring the head structure to the 40 body of the stopper;

Figure 5 is a perspective view showing the wood disc part of the head structure with the anchor member applied thereto;

Figure 6 is a more or less diagrammatic view showing one manner of compressing the wood disc radially, and at the same time forming the peripheral grooves and ridges therein;

Figure 7 is a more or less diagrammatic view 50 showing the step of expanding the cork body and wood disc of the stopper;

Figure 8 is a side view of another form of stop- Figure 9 is a section taken on the line 9-9 of 55 Figure 8; and

Figure 10 is a section taken on the line Ill-4i! of Figure 9.

In the embodiment of the invention shown in Figures 1 to 7, inclusive, the stopper comprises a head structure, designated in its entirety at 5, and a body part 6, preferably formed. of compressible material such as cork. Where I refer in this description and in the appended claims to the body part 6 as a cork body part, I intend to include within that expression a body part of cork or other equivalent material.

The head structure 5 comprises a wood disc 1, apertured centrally at 8, and a cap 9, preferably formed of sheet metal although other materials are contemplated Within the scope of the invention. The anchor member Ill, for anchoring the head structure 5 to the cork body 6, is formed of sheet metal bent to U-shaped form with the legs thereof forming anchoring prongs II and i2, and connected by the connecting portion [3. Pref- 20 erably the cork body 6 is provided concentrically with an annular slit l4 which extends to a depth sufficient to receive the prongs II and I2, but short of the full depth of the cork body 6 to leave the body 6 of solid imperforate form at its 25 inner end.

Each of the prongs H and I2 is formed with a central arcuate portion l5 curved substantially in conformity with the curvature of the slit l4. Each of the opposite edges of these prongs H and 30 I2 has laterally directed teeth It. The teeth It, at opposite edges of each prong, are preferably substantially coplanar, as shown, or otherwise disposed out of the direction of curvature of the slit It. These teeth It are preferably cut so that they are of generally fish-hook formationthat is, with the edges ll thereof extending laterally and directed toward the head structure 5, and with the edges l8 diverging toward the head structure. By virtue of this formation, when the head structure 5 with the prongs II and I2 is applied to the cork body 6 and the prongs forced into the annular slit M in the body portion 6, the teeth It facilitate entry of the prongs. At the same time the teeth it extend out of the i path of the slit I l and bite into the cork body to prevent withdrawal of the head structure 5 from the stopper, and also to prevent rotation of the head structure relative to the stopper, the prongs l l and i2 preferably having some resiliency so as to twist slightly and increase the grip of the teeth l6.

After the head structure 5 and cork body 6 are joined as shown in Figure 2, the cork stopper may, by grasping the head structure 5, be applied to the bottle and removed without disconnecting the head structure from the body of the cork. At the same time, the head structure is provided without the greater cost of grinding down the stopper part of a cork body from a diameter at least as large as the diameter of the head.

The wood disc 1, before application of the cap 9, is preferably compressed and knurled or provided with longitudinal grooves and ridges in its periphery at 20. This compressing and grooving may be accomplished by taking a disc I (Figure 6) of a diameter d in excess of the diameter d of the finished disc and, by means of a plunger 2|, forcing the same through a die opening 22 arranged to compress the disc radially to the desired diameter d. By providing the lower end of the die opening 22 with grooves or ridges 23, the grooves 20 may be pressed into the periphery of the disc 1 at the same time that the disc is compressed to the desired size.

The anchor member 0 is applied to the disc 1, preferably after compressing the disc to the desired diameter d, by inserting the prongs H and I2 through the opening 8. The teeth l6 and the widened upper portions 25 of the prongs II and I2 preferably bite their way through the disc T at 26 (Figure 5), although the disc may have slits formed therethrough to permit passage of the teeth l6 and widened upper portions 25 through the disc in the application of the anchor member thereto.

The sheet metal cap 9 has its flange 28 formed with grooves or ridges 29 corresponding with the grooved periphery of the disc 1. Internally, the flange 28 is of a diameter to receive freely the disc I after application of the anchor l0 thereto. After the compressed disc I, with its peripheral grooves 20, is applied to the cork body 6 and the cap 9 applied over the disc, the assembled structure is placed on a belt 30 (Figure '7) and moved through a steam box 3| or placed in water to expand the cork body and the disc I. This expands the compressed disc 1 into firm peripheral engagement with the grooved or knurled flange 28 of the cap 9 to join the cap and disc rigidly together and hold the cap firmly against rotation upon the disc. If the ridges in the periphery of the disc I are not properly in register with the grooves in the flange 28, the expansion of the disc 1 will cause the same to creep slightly, whereupon the ridges in the periphery of the disc will expand into tight engagement with the grooves in the flange. The lower edge of the cap 9 may be beaded in slightly if desired at 32 (Figure 2), or the disc I may be tapered slightly with the smaller end at the bottom to prevent withdrawal of the cap from the disc.

With the parts thus joined together, the structure is a unitary one. The solid imperforate inner end of the cork body 6 keeps the metallic anchoring prongs H and I2 out of contact with the liquid in the bottle. At the same time the disc 1 provides a wood surface at 33 for engagement with the upper end of the glass neck of the bottle and, as a result, the metallic parts of the stopper do not come into contact with the liquid in the bottle nor into contact with the glass wall of the bottle. The tabs 34, integral with the connecting portion l3 of the anchor, engage the upper surface of the disc I, and thus limit the passage of the anchor downwardly through the disc. In the assembled structure, this connecting portion l3 of the anchor is disposed between the upper surface of the disc I and the inner surface of the outer wall of the cap 9. The outer surface of the upper wall of the cap 9 is smooth and adapted to be embossed, lithographed, or otherwise finished, as desired.

The stop-per shown in Figures 8, 9 and 10 comprises a head portion and a tubular anchoring quill 4|. The head portion 48 is in the form of a cap, preferably of sheet metal and having a pcripheral flange 42 knurled externally as shown in Figure 8. A disc 43, also preferably formed of sheet metal, is disposed in the lower end of the annular flange 42 and is secured at 44 against separation from and against turning with respect to the head portion 49. The attachment at 44 may be obtained by beading the lower edge of the flange into firm engagement with the periphery of the disc 43.

The central portion of the disc 43 has four arcuate slits 45 to receive four tongues 46 formed integral with the upper end of the tubular quill 4|, which may be made of sheet metal tubing or other suitable material. The tongues 46, upon being inserted through the slit 45, are bent over as shown in Figures 9 and 10, and secure the quill 4| against separation from and against turning with respect to the disc 43. The cap 40 may be applied and secured to the periphery of the disc 43 after attaching the quill 4| to the center of the disc.

The quill 4| has prongs 48 with pointed ends struck out of the tubular wall thereof and disposed with their pointed ends directed in an oblique upward direction to permit pressing the quill into an annular slit in the cork or other compressible body of the stopper, which may be similar to the stopper body shown in the preceding embodiment. When the quill is pressed into place in the stopper body, with the outer end of such body abutting the head 40, the prongs 48 Will effectively hold the quill 4| and, thereby, the entire head part of the stopper against separation from and against turning with respect to the body part of the stopper.

I do not intend to be limited to the precise details shown or described.

I claim:

1. A stopper comprising a metal cap having a flange, a wood disc positioned within said cap with its periphery in interlocking engagement with said flange, a cork body, and a generally U-shaped anchor having anchoring prongs extending through the disc and into the cork body, said anchor having a connecting portion between said anchoring prongs and disposed between the disc and the outer wall of the cap, said anchoring prongs having serrated edges engaging the cork body.

2. A stopper comprising a compressible body part of solid imperforate form at its inner end and having an annular slit extending partially through the same from the outer end, a nonmetallic head member at the outer end of said body part, and a U-shaped anchor having anchoring prongs with serrated edges extending through the head member and pressed into the annular slit in said compressible body.

3. A stopper comprising a compressible body part of solid imperforate form at its inner end and having an annular slit extending partially through the same from the outer end, a nonmetallic head member at the outer end of said body part, and a U-shaped anchor having anchoring prongs with serrated edges extending through the head member and pressed into the annular slit in said compressible body, said anchor having a connecting portion between said anchoring prongs for cooperation with the outer side of the head member to limit passage of said anchor through said head member.

4. A stopper comprising a compressible body part of solid imperforate form at its inner end and having an annular slit extending partially through the same from the outer end, a nonmetallic head member at the outer end of said body part, a U-shaped anchor having anchoring prongs with serrated edges extending through the head member and pressed into the annular slit in said compressible body, said anchor having a connecting portion between said anchoring prongs for cooperation with the outer side of the head member to limit passage of said anchor through said head member, and a flanged cap covering the outer surface and periphery of the head member and held against separation from and against turning with respect to said disc.

5. A stopper comprising a cap having a knurled peripheral flange, a disc secured to the lower edge of said flange, a tubular anchoring quill secured to the central part of said disc, and prongs with pointed ends struck out from the wall of said quill and disposed with their pointed ends in an oblique upward direction.

6. A stopper comprising a cap having a peripheral flange, interlocking means formed on said flange, a non-metallic disc having interlocking means formed in its periphery and adapted to be inserted into the flange of said cap with the interlocking means on the periphery of the disc in interlocking engagement with the interlocking means on said flange to hold the disc against turning in said cap, a flange turned in from the bottom of said first flange beneath the bottom of said disc to hold the disc in said cap, anchor means independent of said disc and secured thereto, and a compressible body secured to said disc by said anchor means and held against separation from and against turning with respect to said disc.

7. A stopper comprising a cap having a peripheral flange, interlocking means formed on said flange, a non-metallic disc having interlocking means formed in its periphery and adapt ed to be inserted into the flange of said cap after formation of the interlocking means thereon and with the interlocking means on the periphery of the disc in interlocking engagement with the interlocking means on said flange to hold the disc against turning in said cap, a flange turned in from the bottom of said first flange and beneath the bottom of said disc to hold the disc in said cap, anchor means secured to said disc and held against separation from and against turning with respect to said disc, and a cork body, said anchor means comprising a generally U- shaped anchor having anchoring prongs passing through the disc and into the cork body, and a connecting portion between said anchoring prongs and disposed between the disc and the outer wall of the cap, said anchoring prongs having serrated edges engaging the cork body.

JOSEPH W. FAY. 

